Moonlit Scavengers MTG Card

Moonlit Scavengers can bounce opponents’ nonland permanents, aiding in resource advantage. Can work as a synergy piece, accelerating resource control with artifacts and enchantments. Despite creature status, can disrupt opponent mid-game like an instant effect.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Merfolk Rogue
Released	2019-10-04
Set symbol
Set name	Throne of Eldraine
Set code	ELD
Power	4
Toughness	5
Number	57
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Miranda Meeks

Text of card

When Moonlit Scavengers enters the battlefield, if you control an artifact or enchantment, return target creature an opponent controls to its owner's hand.

They comb the shallows of Lochmere for relics of a bygone era. And if they happen upon a lone traveler, all the better.

Cards like Moonlit Scavengers

Moonlit Scavengers stand out in Magic: The Gathering due to its unique combination of creature and interaction with the game state. The Scavengers challenge the dynamics of similarly costed creatures, such as Man-o’-War. While Man-o’-War allows for an immediate bounce of a creature upon entering the battlefield, it does not rely on another condition being met.

Though akin to Exclusion Mage, which also returns a target creature an opponent controls to their hand, Moonlit Scavengers presents an additional upside — its effect is contingent on you controlling an artifact or enchantment. This stipulation can be seen as both a drawback and an opportunity to leverage deck synergy. Contrastingly, Exclusion Mage doesn’t provide the high toughness that the Scavengers offer, which could be a deciding factor during gameplay.

When reflecting on the overall utility and strategic depth of bounce creatures, Moonlit Scavengers is an attractive option within MTG that can turn the tides of a match, especially in environments rich with artifacts and enchantments.

Cards similar to Moonlit Scavengers by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Moonlit Scavengers shines in scenarios where you’re looking to outpace your opponent with resources. By allowing you to return a nonland permanent your opponent controls to their hand when you control an artifact or enchantment, you effectively set them back while maintaining your board presence.

Resource Acceleration: Thanks to its ability to interact with artifacts or enchantments, Moonlit Scavengers becomes part of a broader strategy that can accelerate your resources. It helps in synergies where bouncing your own artifacts for repeated effects or facilitating the casting of larger threats more swiftly.

Instant Speed: Despite being a creature card, the value of Moonlit Scavengers can often be compared to that of an instant given the immediacy of its impact upon entering the battlefield. It allows you to disrupt your opponent’s plans during your turn without having to wait for summoning sickness to clear.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: For Moonlit Scavengers to trigger their effect, you must bounce another nonland permanent you control, leaving you at potentially a card disadvantage or disrupting your own board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: Moonlit Scavengers requires both blue and generic mana, which may not seamlessly fit into all deck archetypes, particularly those that don’t support blue as a primary color.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sitting at six mana to cast, Moonlit Scavengers may arrive on the battlefield later than other similar creatures, which could be a hindrance in faster-paced games where early board presence is crucial.

Reasons to Include Moonlit Scavengers in Your Collection

Versatility: Moonlit Scavengers, as a card, is not limited to a single deck archetype. Its ability to interact with the game on both offensive and defensive levels makes it a flexible addition, ready to be included in a variety of blue-based control or midrange decks.

Combo Potential: The card’s synergy with artifacts and other permanents that have entered the battlefield this turn means it has the potential to become a key cog in combos or interactions that return opposing permanents to their owner’s hand, disrupting the opponent’s game plan.

Meta-Relevance: Given its role in bouncing opposing creatures or artifacts, Moonlit Scavengers thrives in an environment filled with aggressive creature decks. It can serve as a useful tool to handle threats and gain a tempo advantage in the current metagame.

How to beat

Moonlit Scavengers is a noteworthy card for its ability to bounce opposing nonland permanents back to their owner’s hand, but like any card in Magic: The Gathering, it has its weaknesses. To successfully outmaneuver Moonlit Scavengers, understanding its strengths and timing is crucial. As a six-mana play that requires another blue permanent on the board to utilize its full potential, setting up a disruptive strategy against it can be simple. This can involve denying your opponent a blue permanent or reducing the Scavengers’ impact by limiting valuable bounce targets.

One effective tactic involves playing cheap removal spells or abilities that can get rid of the Scavengers before their effect can be utilized. You can also leverage instant-speed removal to deal with the blue permanent that would enable its bounce effect. Counterspells are another excellent choice, stopping the card before it can even hit the board. Moreover, with its significant resource investment, outpacing your opponent by swiftly building a dominating board presence can leave Moonlit Scavengers stranded in their hand or nullify its impact upon entering the battlefield.

Ultimately, while Moonlit Scavengers can present a challenge if it effectively returns a key piece to your hand, a tactical and proactive approach can prevent it from disrupting your game plan and maintain your advantage on the battlefield.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Moonlit Scavengers MTG card by a specific set like Throne of Eldraine, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Moonlit Scavengers and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Moonlit Scavengers has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Moonlit Scavengers card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2019-10-04	Moonlit Scavengers's ability doesn't return multiple creatures if you control multiple artifacts and/or enchantments.
2019-10-04	Moonlit Scavengers's ability won't trigger at all if you don't control an artifact or enchantment immediately after it enters the battlefield. If you don't control an artifact or enchantment as the ability resolves, the ability has no effect. These don't have the be the same artifact or enchantment at both times, however.
2019-10-04	You still control Auras that you put onto the battlefield attached to a permanent you don't control.